A Legacy Hijacked and our Response
Eleanor Roosevelt was the Driving Force behind the Universal Declaration of Human Rights!
Never say that a group of strong, engaged women cannot change history - especially a record of history that is flawed.
When the Paris based René Cassin Foundation had a plaque mounted on the revamped esplanade outside the gates of the United Nations in Geneva, claiming he was the "architect" of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and ignoring the leading role of Eleanor Roosevelt and the contribution of others, the team "Celebrating Eleanor Roosevelt and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights" was born. Renè Cassin was in fact only one of a number of people who contributed to the UDHR under the inspired leadership of Eleanor Roosevelt.
In response to this slight to Eleanor's legacy, FAWCO joined with a small group of international NGOs in a special team whose initial goal was to inform and educate people world wide about the unique and indispensable role played by Eleanor Roosevelt in the formation and adoption of the UDHR. Since then FAWCO has taken a leading role in this team. We have been involved in all aspects of the activities and we have also taken the initiative in creating, sponsoring and hosting a special Eleanor Roosevelt website for the international and NGO community at http://www.erooseveltudhr.org/.
And now we can already claim success. A lasting memorial to Eleanor Roosevelt will be dedicated on December 5, 2008 at the Place des Nations, Geneva, which is the international center for human rights organizations and treaty bodies. The memorial funded by donations solicited by the team will honor Eleanor Roosevelt as the driving force behind the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A booklet on Eleanor Roosevelt's role and the importance of the UDHR will accompany the ceremony inaugurating the memorial and will be available as an educational tool. The Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt Institute of Hyde Park, NY will provide text by John Sears and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAE) will sponsor the printing of the booklet. Swiss Foreign Affairs Minister Mme Micheline Calmy-Rey will be present at the ceremony along with many dignitaries and we hope some FAWCOites.
In addition FAWCO has been working with the US State Department through the US UN Mission in Geneva on additional plans they have to honor Eleanor Roosevelt. ER probably would not have cared; believing as she did that there is no end to what can be achieved if no one cares who gets the credit. However we feel that history requires a more accurate accounting of Eleanor's achievement.